BRITAIN'S growing army of home workers is providing a boost for a Shipley-based packaging company which is predicting sales growth in its online sales of around 20 per cent over the next 12 months.

ASC Direct, which makes and delivers cardboard boxes and packaging products across the UK, serves the nation's booming cottage industry sector through its online boxbuilder tool, which provides buyers with an easy way to order boxes to their own specification.

ASC has invested in a new responsive website, with time-saving features to serve the home workers more efficiently. The new website, includes a simplified boxbuilder tool which has reduced ordering to three steps.

Andrew Woodhead, managing director, said: “With sites such as ebay, Amazon Marketplace and notonthehightreet more people are able to make a good living by working from home selling their goods to a global audience.

"Sellers such as these are a big important part of our customer base and through our boxbuider tool they’re able to design their perfect box - offering savings on postal costs as well as environmental benefits.

“In addition to these savings, our customers are also able to benefit from a low minimum order of only 25 boxes, meaning their homes are not overrun with packaging materials, and we are also able to deliver orders made before noon, the next day."

Andrew said unusual requests received by ASC were orders for boxes to post live crickets to reptile pet owners as food, and a box to post a bee hive safely. One customer requested a box be made so he could post his daughter out to visit his parents in Australia.

"Though a box could be made we had to advise him it is in fact illegal to put children in the post.!"

He pointed out that posting live animals and reptiles was also prohibited, along with any creatures or insects classified as dangerous under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 , including some venomous spiders.

"They must be boxed and packaged to protect the creatures, Royal Mail staff and their customers from harm. Items must be clearly marked ‘urgent – living creatures - handle with care’. The sender’s name and return address must be clearly visible on the outer packaging," Andrew explained.

Established in 1981, ASC Cartons underwent a management buy-out in 2006 and three years later raised £150,000 from NatWest bank to help fund expansion at its 50,000 sq ft Hillside Works at Windhill.

ASC produces all its boxes from recycled material, including storage boxes, corrugated and lightweight heavy duty boxes and bespoke cartons. It supplies customers ranging from start-up to large companies.